Given a `play_events` table with columns `user_id`, `track_id`, `timestamp`, and `country`, write SQL to return the top N most played tracks globally and the top N most played tracks per country. <details> <summary>Hint 1</summary> Start by naming the core entities, constraints, and success criteria. </details> <details> <summary>Hint 2</summary> Make the trade-offs explicit before going deep on implementation details. </details> ### Constraints & Assumptions - Each row represents one playback event. - A track can be played many times by the same user. - The query should count plays, not distinct users, unless clarified otherwise. - Use deterministic tie-breaking if the interviewer asks for stable output. ### Clarifying Questions to Ask - Should repeated plays by the same user count multiple times? - Should the result be filtered to a date range? - How should ties at rank N be handled? - Should countries with fewer than N tracks return fewer rows? - What SQL dialect should be used? ### What a Strong Answer Covers ```premium-lock What a Strong Answer Covers ``` ### Follow-up Questions - How would you return all tracks tied at Nth place? - How would you compute top N by unique listeners instead of plays? - How would you optimize for a daily dashboard? - What changes if events arrive late?